No, you do not have to pay excess on car rental. However, if you have an accident or damage the car, you will be responsible for paying for the repairs up to the amount of the excess. The excess is typically a few thousand dollars, so it's important to be careful while driving, more information here.
How much is the excess?
The amount of excess you have to pay on your car rental varies depending on the rental company and the car you have rented. It is usually a percentage of the total value of the car. For example, if you have rented a car worth £1000 and the excess is 10%, you would have to pay £100 if the car was damaged.
Will the renter always pay the full excess if there’s a problem?
If you're renting a car, you may be asked whether you want to pay for car rental insurance. This is also called a collision damage waiver (CDW) or loss damage waiver (LDW). If you have comprehensive and collision coverage on your own car, you may not need to buy this insurance. You can decline the coverage and pay the car rental company's collision damage waiver (CDW) fee of $10 to $30 per day. But you'll be fully responsible for paying for any damage to the car. If you have an accident, you'll have to pay the car rental company's deductible, which could be $500 or more.
How can you avoid paying an excess?
If you don't want to pay an excess on your car rental, you can purchase excess insurance before you pick up your rental car. This will cover the cost of any damage to the car up to the amount of the excess. You can also choose to pay a higher excess and get a lower daily rate.
The article discusses whether or not you have to pay an excess fee when renting a car. It concludes that you may have to pay an excess fee if you damage the car, but that this will vary depending on the rental company and the insurance you have.